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This article appears in the Wilderness issue of Trinity News , the magazine of Trinity Church-St. Paul's Chapel.

By Nathan Brockman

Trinity News presents its ode to the mystery of the Baptist and his story of wilderness, prophecy and repentance.

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’” —Matthew 3:1-3

ALMOST JESUS. Here was John, a cousin of Jesus, and both John and Jesus spoke of the fullness of life. Here was John, a cousin of Jesus, and they both challenged corrupt leaders. Both John and Jesus embodied prophecy. They both preached, baptized and had followers. They both spent time in the wilderness. And they both died in terrible ways at the hands of the rulers of the day. John the Almost Jesus, John the Baptist, raising high the expectations for mere humans.

BRIDGE. John was a bridge between worlds, a prophet evoked by other prophets, a word become flesh by Isaiah’s prophecy linking to Jesus’ reality. And along that bridge comes God’s wilderness voice to the people. A powerful linking of the past to the present in an effort to create the future kingdom.

EXPERT. John acted like the community members envisioned in the Beatitudes and the parables before they were spoken. Perhaps that’s part of the reason he had to go away. Perhaps his expertise was part of the problem: John was an expert when those in the community of disciples were novices learning the ropes. John didn’t follow the rules and yet he knew the rules better than the disciples. And John got into a mess — into a conflict with leaders, into prison, and then into oblivion.

FATHER. If John had a calling card, it would read “Repent” — a word from the Greek metanoia , which means “return.” Picture a big man of few words, arms spread wide, saying “come back, come back,” commanding “repent, repent,” and readying for the embrace that will symbolize the change of mind that is key to the kingdom of heaven.

HOLY PATSY. Surely this man was used. Seen in a certain perspective, John’s life paints the New Testament a deeper shade of complicated. Maybe this is the true meaning of “prepare the way of the Lord.” Preparing the way of the Lord means difficult, challenging business. When John is killed, his followers follow Jesus. Jesus comforts them as the one true leader the world has ever seen. John gets all the forsaking trauma, and none of the divine glory.

PEOPLE-PERSON. Don’t romanticize the wilderness. It is the place to visit if you are interested in clearing your mind to hear God’s voice, the place we are cast to when life conspires accidents, traumas, loss. But John’s life wouldn’t have been meaningful if it was lead in isolation. It is important to remember that John was among people as much as he was alone. He was darn near a people-person: preaching, baptizing, scolding the elite of the day.

PRISONER. Prison was John’s true wilderness because he was not there by choice. In reading Matthew’s gospel, the pictures of John disappear after he is imprisoned: the striking visual images created by the writer go away, and John is no more, dying before death.

Who is John the Baptist to you? Click on "send us your comments" at the top of the page and share your thoughts, ideas and inspirations with us.

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Wilderness
A Trinity News Companion